Fear
by kyleisgod
Summary: Sting has arrived in World Wrestling Entertainment! Who will he target? How will they respond? LAST CHAPTER IS UP!
1. Default Chapter

The Great American Bash was back! But something was missing.  
  
That pay per view had always been associated with WCW. Bill Goldberg was gone. Ric Flair, Eric Bischoff, and the old WCW championship belt were all on RAW. SmackDown would need something big to further the illusion of two separate wrestling promotions. Associating SmackDown with WCW trademarks was not enough. Even Vince McMahon knew that much.  
  
That was why he signed Sting.  
  
Much like Goldberg, Steve Borden agreed to work a limited schedule for a somewhat high amount of money. Management believed it would be an investment worth making. Not only did Sting agree to work for the SmackDown brand, immediately adding to the star power of that program, but his first feud was going to be against The Undertaker. The money made from that feud would more than likely return the financial investment with interest.  
  
It was perfect, except for one problem.  
  
The Undertaker was afraid.  
  
The Undertaker had just finished off Bradshaw with a tombstone on the main event of SmackDown. The lights in the arena went out as they always did for the dead man's entrances and exits. When they came back up however, something was much different. Sting was in the ring.  
  
"IT'S STING! IT'S STING!" cried Michael Cole.  
  
The Stinger was decked out in his usual black and white attire. He had a large black bat in his hand. The ink on his contract hadn't even dried yet, but management wanted an immediate surprise to spike ratings and build towards the June pay per view show. If the crowd response was any indication, the surprise worked and the Bash would draw a huge buy rate.  
  
There they were. Sting was face to face with The Undertaker. The symbols of their respective federations for years were now on the same show, in the same ring, ready to do battle for the first time ever.  
  
And then, The Undertaker walked away.  
  
Paul Bearer was confused. He tried calling the man from the dark side back to the ring, but Undertaker wasn't listening. The fans pictures snapped almost as much for 'Taker walking away as they did for the appearance of Sting.  
  
"What the hell's he doing?" wondered Tazz. "Is he leaving?"  
  
Sting pointed his bat towards The Undertaker, indicating that he would get him eventually. It was the same bat he pointed at the New World Order seven years ago. He didn't have to say he wanted to fight the dead man in words. No Words were needed.  
  
'Taker raised the head he was hanging in shame just enough to see Sting's white face staring coldly at him on the SmackDown ovaltron. As the two men locked eyes, The Undertaker knew this was far from over. Eventually, promoters would sign a match between the two of them.  
  
And that's what scared him the most. 


	2. Lurking in the Darkness

Mark Calloway spent the next week watching old video tapes of his matches. In his mind he had finally fallen into the category of "athlete who used to be great." He would retire as soon as he could and re-live his glory days the same way his fans did: by watching them on video.  
  
As he put in another Undertaker compilation tape, the doorbell of his Texas home rang. Mark answered it to find his manager, William "Paul Bearer" Moody, looking angry and confused.  
  
"What the hell was that?!" the round manager screamed. "You walked away! How could you just walk away?"  
  
Calloway sighed. He turned his focus away from Moody and put it back on the TV. He knew William deserved an answer. Undertaker fans did too. As he started to give one, he wished that his manager was doing the talking for him. That way Calloway wouldn't have to admit it.  
  
"I walked away, because I was scared. I'm not the same anymore. I'm not The Undertaker. I haven't been a world champion in two years. Every match I feel more and more pain. I might wear the clothes, I might have you with me, and I might still be able to wrestle. But I sure as hell ain't the Dead Man anymore.  
  
I walked away because when Sting looked at me, that man had no fear in his eyes. I never saw that before. Everybody used to fear The Undertaker. Everybody! That edge is gone now. That edge is what made me the winner I am. Or at least the winner I used to be.  
  
Sting was a WCW guy William. I never fought him. I never saw him wrestle. I don't know what he's all about. I need that edge to hold over him in a fight. Now, I don't even have that. So tell me how the hell I'm supposed to beat him."  
  
Moody grabbed the remote and shut the tape off. He began flipping channels in search of UPN. As he flipped, he responded to the comments of his long time associate.  
  
"I won't stand here and listen to this! You're STILL a winner! I came back to wrestling to manage a winner! To manage the Dead Man! You're a human being. But you're still a dangerous human being. And the only reason Sting didn't fear you, is because he's too damn stupid to know he should! He doesn't know what YOU'RE all about! He never faced someone like you. But he will. And when he does, he'll know then to fear The Undertaker! OH YESSS!"  
  
It was a nice attempt at a managerial pep talk, but it just wasn't working.  
  
Moody finally found UPN. He had purposely turned it on, hoping whatever Sting did would inspire some dislike from Calloway. SmackDown was in the middle of its weekly broadcast, and coincidentally enough, Sting was on the screen at the time.   
  
He wasn't at the arena however. Instead, he was walking around an abandoned funeral home. He swung his trademark black bat at a nearby casket, chipping away at it and slowly breaking it down into firewood. It was quite symbolic.  
  
"Am I supposed to be afraid?" Sting asked the camera.  
  
"Am I supposed to be afraid of The Undertaker? Well I'm not! Because me, and all my little Stingers know, that the Undertaker is a fraud! He ran away last week, but he can't hide.  
  
I came to WWE to prove myself. I came here to say that I'm the best, because I can beat the best. And I heard that The Undertaker was supposed to be one of the top dogs around here. Well it looks like now, if he won't come to me, I'm going to have to play dog catcher.  
  
I'll get my hands on you Undertaker. I'm going to draw you out of those shadows you love to hide in, and beat you like a dog!"  
  
With that, Sting continued destroying the funeral home. His bat knocked over an urn. He turned another wooden coffin into lumber. As The Undertaker watched, he got a sinking feeling in his stomach. Not only did Sting not fear him, but Sting's total lack of fear was actually making The Undertaker just a bit afraid.   
  
Then, Sting said something that would only make the bookers set up a Sting/Taker match even faster.  
  
"But since you aren't on this show to challenge me yet, maybe I should go see what RAW has to offer. I'll be back when SmackDown gives me the Dead Man. IT'S SHOWTIME! WOO!!"  
  
The Undertaker shivered. What was he going to do now?  
  
More importantly, what would happen when Sting visited RAW? 


	3. sting invades raw

It was business as usual on RAW the next week. Shelton Benjamin was wrestling Kane when a shadowy figure moved through the crowd.  
  
"Hey!" screeched Jerry Lawler. "That's Sting!"  
  
The Stinger hit the ring hard and fast. His bat was introduced to the head of Undertaker's brother.  
  
"He should not be here" proclaimed Jim Ross. "That man is a SmackDown talent!"  
  
As usual, wrestling announcers were masters of the obvious.  
  
Sting continued striking both men with his bat. He then showed Shelton how it felt to be on the receiving end of a Stinger Splash. As the ring was cleared of the beaten competitors, Sting grabbed a microphone from Lillian Garcia and began to speak.  
  
"I hope that The Undertaker is watching, because that was just a sample of what I'm going to do to him. And if I don't get to do it to him very soon on SmackDown, I'm pretty sure Eric Bischoff has a place on Raw for Sting!"  
  
It was blackmail at its best. But Steve Borden didn't care. He wanted to face the best competition in the world. If he couldn't do that on SmackDown he would simply do it on Raw instead. So long as he was being challenged well, Borden didn't care who he faced.  
  
That was good, since he was about to be challenged by Evolution.  
  
"WOOO!!!" exclaimed Ric Flair as the foursome made their way down to the ring.   
  
"Sting, on behalf of Evolution, let me say welcome to Raw. I haven't seen you in three years now, and I don't know if you've been following the business since then, so let me fill you in on something right now. This is RAW BROTHER, WOO!! And nobody that isn't already on Raw is going to take air time away from Evolution pal! So, as a guy who respects you, as a guy who traveled up and down the roads with you making history, I'm telling you Stinger. I'm begging you. Leave the ring now, or else."  
  
Triple H was the next to take the microphone when Borden didn't move.  
  
"So this is the man they call Sting huh? Who're they anyway? You know who they aren't? They aren't the ones on Raw calling the shots. They aren't the guys that have dominated this show for months. They aren't Evolution! And they sure as hell aren't The Game!  
  
This is our show jack. We run things around here! And all of us in Evolution have a major problem with the idea of a SmackDown guy coming on our show, especially just to make demands of SmackDown and The Undertaker. You do that on your own time! NOW, GET THE HELL OUT OF OUR RING!!"  
  
Sting responded by punching Hunter in the face. Evolution attacked, and Sting fought them off as if they were the New World Order from 1997.  
  
The temptation for a one time only big ratings match was too great. Within minutes, Sting versus Triple H was announced as the Raw main event.  
  
It was ten minutes of back and forth action. A Stinger Splash was blocked by a knee to the groin. A Pedigree was countered with a back body drop. Hunter's sledgehammer dueled with Sting's bat. Finally, Triple H attempted a suplex. Sting wriggled free and hit the Scorpion Death Drop.  
  
And that was when the chaos ensued.  
  
Evolution hit the ring to protect their leader from yet another loss. Shawn Michaels and Chris Benoit followed, but their dislike for Evolution took priority over brand loyalty. It was three against four however, and the numbers soon became too great.  
  
And then the lights went out.  
  
The Undertaker was watching Raw that evening. In fact, he was there. 'Taker made his way into the ring where the post-match brawl was continuing. Batista went after him out of instinct, but was quickly fought off. Calloway ignored the other fighting going on around him. He didn't come there to attack Raw brand members. He came there to get his hands on his real enemy.  
  
In one quick motion, Sting was hurled out of the ring. The Dead Man followed him out of it and grabbed a chair from ringside, nailing Sting in the head as hard as he possibly could. The white paint on Borden's face soon turned red with blood.  
  
Sting was dragged up the Raw ramp while Evolution continued their dominance back in the ring. Paul Bearer and some druids made their way out to greet Calloway and his fallen adversary at the entranceway. They were holding a large cross, or as Jim Ross politely referred to it "a symbol." The Undertaker and the druids hoisted the dazed Sting up on that "symbol", tying his arms to it.  
  
Calloway looked deeply into Borden's eyes. They still weren't filled with any fear. But thanks to Steve's religious beliefs, they were now filled with anger. They were filled with very large quantities of anger.  
  
This made The Undertaker smile. It was just the reaction he was hoping for. 


	4. anger

"Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome The Undertaker!"  
  
'Taker and Paul Bearer already knew what Michael Cole was going to ask as they made their way to the SmackDown ring for an interview. They would be happy to answer him. Ever since Raw, The Undertaker felt powerful again. He was still afraid of Sting, but his rather elaborate plan had worked.  
  
"Why? Why did you attack Sting on Raw in such a…vicious manner? The blood, the symbol, why-"  
  
Bearer grabbed the microphone and sent Cole back to the announce table. The Undertaker neither needed nor wanted a guilt trip. Paul held the stick as the Phenom spoke.  
  
"I did what I did because I learned something. I did a little research about Sting. I learned that at one time, Sting was considered unbeatable. He took out ten guys at a time. He was feared like me. He was invincible like me. But then the boy had to wrestle. And when he did that, he got beat up.  
  
You see Sting is a human being. He's flesh, and he's definitely blood. And because he's human he makes mistakes. Angry men make mistakes. And now, thanks to me, Sting's one angry man.  
  
The truth is I'm still a little afraid. I can admit it. I still don't know what I'm up against. But I don't think Sting knows either. He's up against The Dead Man! He's fighting the man from the dark side! And I know that when we're in that ring together, he's going to make mistakes. And when that happens, I'm going to destroy him. I showed Monday night that a man who's afraid has nothing to lose. A man who wants to get rid of the thing that scares him will go to great, inhuman lengths to get the job done. And when Sting makes a mistake, I will take full advantage of it.  
  
So I say to Vince McMahon, make the match! Bring on Sting! Give my creatures of the night the fight they want to see: Sting against The Undertaker! Because The Undertaker will make Sting…rest…in…peace…"  
  
Calloway rolled his eyes at the camera and left the ring. He had said all he needed to. And while some may suggest a lack of intelligence on The Undertaker's part for angering the man he feared, there was logic to his thinking. He was like a caged animal lashing out at a man who intimidated him. The only question was if it would work when the time came to wrestle. He desperately hoped that it would.  
  
What The Undertaker said was true. There was a time when Sting was considered unbeatable. But once he stepped out of the rafters and back in the ring, he was still the same man. For Sting, being angry meant truly being at his best as an athlete.  
  
The reason he even put on the black and white paint in the first place was because of his anger. He was angry at the New World Order. He was angry that WCW didn't trust him. He was angry then, and he was angry now. Much like Mike Tyson taking a boxing match to a new level by biting his opponent, The Undertaker had turned a wrestling contest between two huge forces in the business into a more personal battle.  
  
Sting had actually watched the entire promo from up in the rafters. He could've come down and extracted revenge on Calloway for his actions on Raw, but that wasn't the way of the angry Sting. The angry Sting preferred lurking in the shadows and stalking his victim like a silent vulture until just the right time. That time was going to be in a match against The Undertaker, where he could unleash all his anger.  
  
Thanks to the attack on Raw, angry Sting was back. He was no longer the colorful happy-go-lucky Sting trapped inside the body of the Sting from the late 90's, as some say he was in the post-NWO era of WCW. Completely re-embracing the darkness within his soul, Steve Borden was once again at his athletic best and most intimidating psychologically.  
  
But now with his confidence back, so was The Undertaker.  
  
It was going to make for some interesting television. 


	5. The Plot Thickens

SmackDown officials were quick to sign the match. It would be The Undertaker versus Sting at the Great American Bash, SmackDown's first head to head pay per view against Raw.  
  
The next few weeks leading up to the big showdown were filled with psychology. The Undertaker held a funeral for a dummy Sting. Sting just sat in the rafters and watched it take place. The Undertaker's dressing room had a black crow inside it one night. The two men still hadn't put a hand on one another since Undertaker's attack, but the hope that they would got fans to tune in every week. The symbolism and mind games were great!  
  
They were so great in fact that SmackDown's ratings began to top the ratings of Raw. This didn't sit well with Eric Bischoff. He was going to do something about it.  
  
The Raw ring was filled with the members of Evolution, Shawn Michaels, Chris Benoit, and Shelton Benjamin. Referees were keeping the parties from tearing each other apart. This was certainly out of the ordinary, until Kane joined them in the ring. He was followed by Bischoff, who stood on the ramp with a microphone and a piece of paper in his hand.  
  
"I was just looking over the contract for the Great American Bash. And it says here in the fine print that the match between The Undertaker and Sting is going to be a Lumberjack match. Now, what does this have to do with all of you? I'll tell you.  
  
A few weeks ago, Sting and The Undertaker came on my show. They came on our turf, and they disrespected and attacked you Kane, you Shelton, and you, Evolution! The Undertaker certainly didn't help matters either. So, since you were all involved in their little Raw appearance, I think it's only fitting that you all go to the Great American Bash, and act as lumberjacks!"  
  
"What?!" asked Jerry Lawler.  
  
"My god, is he serious?!" screamed Jim Ross, overreacting as always.  
  
"There's nothing in the contract that says the lumberjacks have to be from SmackDown" Bischoff continued. "So get ready SmackDown, because Raw is coming to your show next! Oh, and need I remind you that you're all going to be representing my show at the Bash. And should you do ANYTHING to disgrace Raw, such as fighting with one another, YOU'LL ALL BE FIRED!"  
  
The participants in the ring were shocked. Their jaws all dropped at almost the same time. They yelled their disapproval up the ramp about having to share ring space during the pay per view during which time they couldn't kill each other, but their complaints fell on deaf ears.  
  
Backstage, Vince McMahon was smiling.  
  
His two television shows just became even more interesting. 


	6. the pay offlast chapter

Red, white, and blue fireworks went off. The Great American Bash had begun!  
  
It was finally the night SmackDown fans had been waiting for. It was the night Sting would do battle against The Undertaker. The match received plenty of hype on WWE television, but no one outside of perhaps the two wrestlers involved knew just how good the contest would actually be.  
  
The Undertaker made his way to the ring first. His entrance was slower than usual due to his continuing fear and uncertainty.  
  
The lumberjacks came to the ring next. 'Taker couldn't run any longer. The Full Blooded Italians were the first ones out. They had a lot of money invested in the outcome of the match. Rikishi followed. He was certainly a lumberjack that would cover a large section of the ring. Shannon Moore, Ultimo Dragon, Billy Kidman, and various other cruiserweights came out as well. The so-called creative team couldn't find a better use for them tonight.  
  
Then came the Raw lumberjacks. They entered as a unit to the Raw theme song. Brand tee shirts showed the loyalty of individual wrestlers as they had done the night of the draft. Brand loyalty was very important to the Raw representatives. It would have to overpower their dislike for one another.  
  
Sting had watched the rest of the pay per view in the rafters. He hadn't moved an inch the whole night. He was waiting patiently for his time to strike.  
  
His time was now.  
  
Sting ignored the crowd and the lumberjacks as he entered the ring. His entire focus was on The Undertaker. The Dead Man felt the same. Each man slowly left his corner and approached the center of the ring, their eyes remaining locked on one another. They were face to face as they had been the night of their first confrontation. Only this time there would be no running away. There would only be action and lots of it.  
  
The Stinger threw the first punch, drawing blood from his adversary. The Undertaker responded with an equally strong blow which also forced blood loss. The number of punches thrown per minute quickly increased as did the amount of blood spilled. The crowd was going crazy as the competitors went at it. Sting shot The Undertaker into the ropes. 'Taker bounced off and landed a flying clothesline. It was the first wrestling move of the match.  
  
The SmackDown wrestlers began to cheer on their personal favorite. The Raw superstars stared indifferently at the ring waiting for someone to land on the outside of it so they could do their jobs.  
  
Sting threw The Undertaker against the ring post. A follow up Stinger Splash connected, but Sting wasn't done yet. He hit another Splash. And then another. His fourth attempt missed when Calloway ducked, sending Sting gut-first into the turnbuckle and over the top rope to the floor.  
  
The lumberjacks immediately began rolling Borden back into the ring. Rikishi accidentally bumped into Triple H as they pushed. Hunter responded with a stiff right hand to the rotund face of the 'Kish. More chaos ensued as the other lumberjacks began shoving and swearing at each other.  
  
Back inside the ring, The Undertaker had found the opening he was looking for. His plan had worked. Sting's anger had gotten the better of him and now he would pay for making a mistake. The Undertaker's gloved hand wrapped around Sting's throat. The former Mean Mark drove his victim down to the mat with a tremendous Choke Slam. He attempted a pin fall, but was surprised to feel his opponent lift a shoulder. Sting still had plenty of energy, and anger, left in him.  
  
The fighting continued inside and outside the ring. The crowd switched their attention back and forth between both. Sting went for a Body Slam, but 'Taker slipped out of it, scooping Sting up for a Tombstone Piledriver. Sting slipped out of that, and hit a Scorpion Death Drop. He made a cover, but was forced off by The Undertaker sitting up as only he can. The Undertaker still had plenty left as well. He had faced fear and overcame it. He WAS at his peak.  
  
Randy Orton stood up on the ring apron to avoid the brawl taking place around him. Calloway didn't take kindly to someone standing so close to his yard. He pulled the young man into the ring and Choke Slammed him.  
  
Nunzio grabbed Sting's bat from ringside and slinked into the squared circle. He went to strike Borden and guarantee victory for the Dead Man he was gambling on. Sting blocked the bat swing with his hand and kicked Nunzio downstairs. The next image the Italian saw was Sting's bat blasting him in the face.  
  
Slowly but surely the other lumberjacks entered the ring as well. The sea of red and blue shirts became irrelevant. Wrestlers began swinging at whatever moved around them, including Sting and 'Taker. The men in black responded in kind, not liking those at ringside interfering with their fight. They eventually cleared the ring of everyone but each other.  
  
Then something strange happened. They didn't resume the battle. The Undertaker's fearful expression turned to one of respect. Sting's angry face slowly faded as he cracked a rather dark smile. As they looked around at the men they had just destroyed, then into the eyes of their opponent for the evening, it suddenly dawned on both of them.  
  
Sting and The Undertaker shouldn't be fighting.  
  
Sting and The Undertaker should be teaming up.  
  
The fans weren't happy when the duo left the ring together and the match ended in a double count out. But the tag team they formed afterward did please some fans and critics. And it pleased them, as neither man had to win or lose to the other.  
  
No wrestlers were fired from Raw over the incident. Though many, especially the members of Evolution, soon wished that they had been when Sting and The Undertaker switched brands looking for them.  
  
The Undertaker and Sting had brought out the best in one another. They did it through fighting and mind games, but they did it. Steve Borden got back in touch with his angry roots. Mark Calloway faced his fears and overcame them successfully. It was because of each other that they were now at their bests. They would repay each other by going on to win and unify the Raw and SmackDown tag team championships.  
  
Now they were focused. Now they were confident. Now they were a team.  
  
Now, no one else was safe. 


End file.
